


Love's Sake, Evermore

by Anonymous



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Auror Draco Malfoy, Auror Harry Potter, Auror Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy Deserves Nice Things, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, H/D Cluefest 2021, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Harry Potter is a Nice Thing, Love Letters, M/M, Oblivious Draco Malfoy, Off-Screen Murder, POV Draco Malfoy, Secret Admirer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:54:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29218296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Someone is doing nice things for Draco and that someone seems to know an awful lot about his habits and favorite things. Draco can't imagine why anyone would do these things for him because he still thinks he has something to prove. Some days he thinks he’s going to spend his entire life spackling over the mistakes of his youth and the sins of his family.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 5
Kudos: 213
Collections: H/D Cluefest 2021





	Love's Sake, Evermore

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tasteofshapes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tasteofshapes/gifts).



> This is part of H/D Cluefest 2021. The original prompt was:  
> Nice things keep happening to Draco, and he can't figure out why. He'll come into work and find a hot cup of coffee already waiting for him on his desk. Or he'll go out for lunch and when he tries to pay, the waitress informs him that a mysterious stranger has already covered his bill. Once, when he was having the WORST WEEK of his life, he received a letter in the Owlpost filled with encouraging things. Can he get to the bottom of who his mysterious fan is?
> 
> The title is from Elizabeth Barret Browning's Sonnet 14.

The other Aurors start trickling onto the floor, but Draco’s been at his desk for an hour already, meticulously finishing the paperwork on the case he closed last week. Draco likes the preciseness of paperwork and he can’t help the surge of pride he feels every time he turns in perfectly thorough reports on a closed case. The only other person in the department with a closure rate that rivals his is Potter, but he’s seen Potter’s paperwork. It’s abysmal.

The war is seven years gone and he’s developed a friendship of sorts with Potter, if you define friendship as someone you occasionally share sarcastic barbs with over a pint. Draco is loath to admit that he enjoys his weekly trips to the pub down the street from the Ministry with the Golden Trio and whoever else shows up. Other people always show up when those three are together. They’re like magnets because people find them relatable - something Draco’s been told he lacks. Underneath his relationship with Potter, Weasley, and Granger is an underlying tension because Draco still has something to prove. Some days he thinks he’s going to spend his entire life spackling over the mistakes of his youth and the sins of his family.

Draco straightens the papers in front of him into a tidy stack and does the same for his emotions. He rises from his desk, smoothing non-existent wrinkles from his vest then takes his reports to the filing area. The filing area in the Auror Office is a pigeon hole shelf with labeled holes for different types of crimes. Draco rolls his reports and sticks them into the correct slots. The papers are sucked away to be reviewed by Robards and the higher ups then go to whatever poor souls have to do all the filing for the Ministry. Reports only ever come back if there’s something wrong with them and Draco’s reports never, ever come back.

Draco turns the corner on the way to his office and runs straight into Potter, whose head was down and whose hands are full of papers. Potter is startled into dropping his papers, and Draco absolutely does not notice how solid Potter’s chest feels as he bumps into the other man or how broad his shoulders look in the dress shirt and suspenders he has on today. Draco has tried not to notice the days Potter wears suspenders because they show off every inch of the man Potter has become. Draco fails miserably at not noticing.

“Salazer, Potter watch where you’re going.” Draco kneels down and starts picking up the papers littering the floor.

Potter is beside him, a blush darkening his already brown skin. “Sorry, Malfoy. I was thinking about the new case you got assigned yesterday. Hermione wants to talk to you about it. She thinks it might be related to the legislation she’s working on. Told me to tell you to swing by later today to talk to her.”

Draco snorts. His new assignment is about some disappearances - normally disappearances were right up Draco’s alley - but the missing persons were werewolves. Werewolves were still persona non grata in most circles, which is why Hermione is having some issues getting support for her bill that would grant werewolves protection and access to potions that help their condition. These kinds of cases still fall in his lap with exhausting frequency. The cases no one else wants or the ones that seem impossible to solve. Draco accepts them all, does his bloody job, and does it well.

“I know no one else wanted the case and that’s why it’s mine.” Draco doesn’t hide the derision in voice.

Potter shakes his head. “Malfoy, you’re the best missing persons Auror we have. Of course they gave it to you.”

Draco makes a non-committal noise. 

Potter shifts his weight from one foot to the other as they stand. “Drinks tonight, yeah?”

Draco nods. “I’ll be there.”

Potter’s smile breaks over his face and Draco’s heart shifts a little, something he pointedly ignores. “Brilliant. See you then.”

Draco nods and walks back to his office, hands in his pockets and mentally making notes of what he needs to do. He stops in the doorway of his office.

Sitting in the middle of his desk is a steaming cup of tea and a bag of something.

Draco pulls out his wand and looks over his shoulder. Everyone is going about their business and no one is looking his way. He takes cautious steps up to his desk and casts silent charms to detect poison or magic. They all come up negative.

Draco eases into his chair and tentatively raises the cup to take a sip. The blend of tea is not his usual. It’s a little smokier than he generally prefers his tea, but it’s just the way he likes it, and he takes another sip. Sitting next to the saucer is a bag that Draco recognizes. It’s from his favorite bakery and contains six of his favorite treats, delicate Pizzelles. Draco takes one out and bites into it. He closes his eyes and sighs as he chews, butter and anise bursting over his tongue. Today is starting off to be a good one.

\---

Draco is working late on the next Tuesday, pouring over the papers Granger gave him and the interviews he did today. His notes are spread out over his desk as he looks for a pattern or something he’s missed. He’s standing, hoping the height gives him a vantage that sitting did not. There’s a noise in his doorway and Draco looks up. 

Potter is there, slightly rumpled after a long day of work, though Draco has noticed Potter always looks like he could use a good ironing no matter the time of day. If the man would just get a house-elf like a civilized person, his clothes wouldn’t always be so wrinkled. Potter’s sleeves are rolled up, exposing muscular forearms and he has those blasted suspenders on again.

“You’re here late. Everything all right with the new case?” Potter asks.

Draco runs a hand over his hair, smoothing it back from his face. He knows he’s vain about his hair. He keeps it long, like his father did, but his hair has a slight wave like his mother’s and he sees Potter follow his movements with his eyes. He absolutely does not do an internal preen at his hair being noticed. 

“I completed the preliminary interviews today and I went to see Granger to keep her updated. Thanks for that help. She had some information that was enlightening. Now, I’m trying to find where all the pieces fit.” Draco leans his hip against his desk and meets Potter’s gaze.

Potter’s green eyes blink slowly at him. “Well, don’t stay too late, Malfoy. You need your beauty sleep.”

Draco chuckles and smiles. “Sod off, Potter.”

“See you tomorrow, Malfoy.”

Draco waves at him and goes back to staring at the papers on his desk.

Two hours later, Draco is still standing in the same spot, staring at the same papers, when a message comes flying into his office. He snatches it out of the air and unfolds the crane.

_Food delivery at the front desk for you. Shall we send it up with a runner?_

Draco frowns at the note. He didn’t order food. Draco sends an affirmative reply and waits for the runner with a blooming curiosity. The runner comes along three minutes later, pink cheeked and young.

“Auror Malfoy?”

Draco nods. The runner shoves a plain brown paper bag at him. “This is yours, sir.”

“What do I owe you?” Draco reaches into his pocket.

“Already paid for, the delivery wix said. Have a good evening, sir,” the runner says over her shoulder as she leaves.

Draco can smell the meat pie in the bag before he opens it. It’s from the bakery near his flat - he recognizes the paper bag because he gets this meal on the days he works late and doesn’t have time to cook when he gets home. Draco doesn’t know who would know his habits enough to send this to him, but it must be a coincidence. There isn’t anyone who would take the time to know Draco well enough or care about him enough to make sure he ate. The truth of that stings more than it should, but it’s a reality Draco has lived with for a long time now.

He eats the pie and continues working late into the night.

\---

Draco explores all the leads he has with his case and on Thursday he’s pacing his office in the morning trying to decide who he can interview for information he may have missed. He sees Potter approaching his office and slows his feet, grabbing the back of his chair.

Potter has on a cream colored dress shirt that sets off the warm tones in his skin and red and yellow suspenders. The suspenders really are garish, ridiculous Gryffindor nonsense, but the way they lay on Potter’s chest still makes Draco notice more than he should. He should not be noticing Potter at all. But he does, Merlin help him.

Potter leans a shoulder into the doorframe of Draco’s office. “While I was talking to an informant in my case, they let slip something I thought might help you with your missing werewolf.”

Draco lets go of the chair and straightens up. “Wonderful. I have reached a lull and was looking for a new avenue. You have excellent timing.”

Potter grins. “I’m happy to help.” His smile dims. “There’s a catch, though.”

Draco raises an eyebrow in question. “And what catch would that be?”

“They won’t talk to you alone. I’m going to have to go with you.” Potter is tense and Draco wonders if he thinks Draco will refuse his assistance or argue with the stipulation.

Draco nods. “That’s understandable.”

Potter relaxes. “Great. I can leave anytime you’re ready.”

Draco checks to make sure his wand is in the holster on his thigh and grabs his crimson Auror robe. “I’m ready now.”

Potter nods and pushes himself from the door. “I just need to grab my robe. I’ll meet you by the door.”

They Apparate outside the Ministry and, from the looks of the landmarks, end up in a neighborhood on the outskirts of London. Draco follows Potter to a nondescript cottage with wooden beams and a stone face. The garden in the front is untidy with a riot of blooms and fat bumblebees buzzing in the late morning sun. Potter lifts the iron knocker and knocks three times, pauses then knocks a fourth time. 

The door opens and reveals an old house-elf. “Auror Potter. Nice to see you again.”

Potter inclines his head to the house-elf. “Gatty, this is Auror Malfoy. I spoke to you about him yesterday.”

Gatty nods vigorously. “Of course. Any friend of Auror Potter is welcome here. Please do come in.”

Draco is a little lightheaded at Potter telling anyone else about him and putting him into the category of _friend._ It’s more than he deserves. The inside of the house is bright, natural light from the windows bounce off light colored walls. Gatty leads them into the sitting room on the left and waves a hand at the chairs.

“Please sit down and be comfortable. Gatty will bring in some tea.” Gatty disappears into the house.

Potter plops down in a wingback chair. He manages to look comfortable and on alert at the same time. It’s a skill that Potter uses often. Draco has no idea how he does it.

Draco sits down on the edge of the settee with a horrid floral pattern next to Potter’s chair. “Who are we here to see?”

Potter smirks at him. “Gatty.”

“The house-elf?” Draco can’t keep the slight sneer out of his voice.

Potter straightens at his tone, frowning. “Keep your holier than thou tendencies in check, Malfoy. Gatty is a free-elf and he uses his house as a halfway house for magical beings that need a place to stay while they get back on their feet. I’ll not have you insult him with your snobbishness.”

Draco’s spine straightens further. “Now look here, Potter. That’s not what I meant. You could’ve just told me all of that in the first place.”

Potter chuckles and the sound dances over Draco. “What and miss the opportunity to ruffle your feathers?” Potter laughs some more and Draco rolls his eyes at the other man, but of course he’s not really bothered. He adores Potter’s laugh.

Draco is saved from making a sarcastic remark in Potter’s direction by the re-entry of Gatty, carrying a large tray of tea things. The house-elf pours the tea and hands a cup to each of them before serving himself.

“Biscuits?” Gatty asks.

“Oh yes, please. Your gingersnaps are the best.” Harry’s smile brightens as Gatty blushes with the praise.

“Auror Potter is too kind to a lowly house-elf, such as myself.” Gatty passes Draco a plate with three ginger biscuits. “Now, Auror Malfoy. There are some questions Gatty can help with?”

Draco nods and puts down his tea. “There have been some werewolves disappearing from the London area. I believe it is an underground organization that has some larger plan in mind. Auror Potter said you had some information that may be helpful to me.”

Gatty turns to Potter and Potter nods at him. “Gatty trusts Auror Potter. Auror Potter helped Gatty and some under Gatty's care many, many times and said Gatty should tell you what Gatty knows.” The house-elf clears his throat. “Two weeks ago, a werewolf came here looking for shelter. Gatty has a special room for them, if they need it on the full moon, and it was open so Gatty let her stay. Gatty's never had any trouble, you see, and doors aren't locked or nothing like that. People are wandering in at all hours of the night and day, but this is a safe place.”

“Do you have a description of the werewolf?” Draco asks, pulling a small notebook and Muggle pen from his vest pocket.

“Petite witch, black hair in a single braid down her back, pale skin, and a tattoo of a bird on her throat. The woman said her name was Margot.”

“Could be an alias.” Draco scribbles down notes. “Anything else?”

Gatty looks to Potter, who nods encouragingly at him again. “Yes, sir. Margot told Gatty she had escaped from some people holding her and knew the people that had captured her and was afraid they would find her here.”

Draco’s heart thuds in his chest. This is the break he needs, someone who can identify _someone_ who has been kidnapping werewolves so he can find out what the hell they are planning. The unknown is lead in his gut. He does not want this to escalate into something much more sinister.

“Where is this witch now?” Draco asks.

Gatty’s face falls and his ears droop. “Margot left yesterday. Gatty tried to keep her, but she was scared. She did leave Gatty a way to contact her though.” Gatty slips a piece of paper across the low table to Draco.

On the paper, there is an address that Draco knows is a Muggle PO Box at a local mail center. “Thank you, Gatty. This is extremely helpful.”

Gatty smiles wide, showing large, crooked teeth. “Gatty wants to be of help when he can, sir.”

Draco and Potter rise to leave. Gatty pushes a bundle into Potter’s hand. “Some biscuits for the road.”

“Thank you, Gatty. You’re very kind.”

Before they leave the house, Draco decides to ask a question that has been niggling at him. He turns to the house-elf. “Gatty, who pays for the upkeep of this house if you have no master?”

Gatty rises to his full height. “Gatty receives some money from the Ministry and there are some donors. We get by.”

Draco gives the house-elf a slight bow. “Thank you. If Margot contacts you, please let me know.” Draco puts his card into Gatty’s hand. “And if there is any way I can be of assistance to you, please let me know.”

Gatty’s eyes widen. “Yes, sir, Auror Malfoy. Thank you.”

Draco and Potter walk to the end of the garden path and Draco is stopped with Potter's hand on his arm. “Thank you for being kind to Gatty.”

Draco moves away, irritated that he still feels the imprint from Potter’s fingers when he does so. “Salazar, Potter, did you expect me to be something else?”

Potter flushes, his cheeks darkening to a deep red brown that Draco finds fascinating. “Merlin, that’s not what I meant.” 

Draco takes a step closer to Potter, unable to resist doing so, loving the way Potter’s blush deepens further. “What did you mean?”

“Fuck, Malfoy, don’t get all rigid on me.” Potter runs a hand through his hair, making the curls stand up every which way. “Sometimes you have a haughtiness about you that can be off-putting, but I can tell you tried to be more relaxed with him is all.”

“I have a haughtiness that can be off-putting?” Draco’s lips curl up as Potter becomes more uncomfortable. He’s not actually upset by Potter’s words - the man is correct - but Draco is relishing the way he is making Potter fidget. 

“Stop repeating my words back to me.” Potter blows out a breath.

“Then say something intelligent, Potter.”

Potter puts a hand on his hip and leans into Draco’s space, and Draco forgets what they’re discussing. “I meant that you’re always so aloof and put together. Some witnesses and resources find you intimidating.”

Draco smiles at Potter and the other man relaxes. “I know and I love hearing you admit it.”

Potter chuckles and leans back away from Draco. “You’re such a prat, Malfoy.”

Draco bows. “My pleasure to be so, of course.”

Potter rolls his eyes at Draco. “I have some other work to do. All right if I leave you here?”

“Yes, of course. I need to follow up on this.” Draco stops Potter from leaving with a hand on his arm. Draco can feel Potter’s muscles tense under his touch and a curl of _want_ unfurls in Draco. He clears his throat. “Thank you for your help.”

Potter nods, seemingly unaffected by Draco’s touch even though Draco feels like his entire hand and arm are being licked by Friendfyre. “Pints tonight?”

“See you then,” Draco nods.

Draco casts a _Tempus_ charm and sees that it’s already past noon. As if in protest, his stomach growls at him. Lunch first, then he can continue to explore this new lead. 

Every Thursday, Draco goes to a muggle deli about a mile from the Ministry. He always walks. It gives him a chance to clear his mind and mull over whatever he’s working on that day. He Apparates to a safe place and starts walking. The sun is warm on his skin and Draco lets the warmth loosen him. He can feel the tension leaving him with each step. By the time he goes through the doors of Honey & Hops, a deli that serves ciders and ales by the pint with their sandwiches and small plates, he’s almost lost the tightness from being around Potter.

There’s a queue, but it moves quickly and soon Draco is at the front. The person working the counter has short blue hair and an easy smile. Draco places his order and pulls out his muggle money, but the clerk waves their hand. 

“Sorry, your order’s been paid.”

“Excuse me?”

The smile on the clerk falters, but they look down at a slip of paper by the register. “Rueben with a cider. Mr. Draco Malfoy. Long blonde hair and probably not smiling.” They look up, brown eyes shining with mirth. “You’re the right chap, right?”

Draco crosses his arms across his chest. This is starting to be more than a coincidence. “Someone paid for my order?”

“Yes, sir. It’ll be right out.” The clerk is already looking over Draco’s shoulder.

Draco holds up his hand to redirect their focus back to him. “Wait. Is the person who took the payment still here?”

Blue hair shakes their head. “Sorry, mate. Morning manager left already and she said the person asked to not be described to you. Said you’d know who it was and that was all we were allowed to say.”

Draco huffs and goes to find a small table. There’s one in the far back corner and he mulls this newest act of kindness with an open mind. He could dismiss the other things as anomalies, but this is happening too often to be random. Someone knows how he takes his tea, what biscuits he likes best with tea, which meat pastry is his favorite and which place makes them, and what his exact order is at Honey & Hops. Someone is either stalking him in the nicest way possible or he has a secret admirer. 

Both ideas are ridiculous.

Draco doesn’t encourage that kind of gentle devotion in others. He receives his fair share of hate mail, though it’s more infrequent these days, but he’s never had anyone get to know his likes and quirks. Even his own mother doesn’t know what kind of tea and pies he likes best or where he purchases them.

Another clerk calls his name, he gets up to grab his lunch, and returns to his table. He eats his sandwich, it’s as delicious as always, and thinks about who would be so kind to him. 

Since the war, the Auror department has grown and Robards instituted a new policy where they switch partners every 6 months or are assigned to different cases and partners depending on what skills a particular case needs. It means that Draco has worked with most of the Aurors on the floor and most of them only grudgingly respect him, including Potter, though Draco suspects Potter and Weasley consider him something of a friend. The conversation with Gatty comes back to mind and Draco warms.

Draco immediately scoffs at himself. If his seventh year self could see him now, he’d be both elated and ashamed at how little Draco has done with his social life. Outside of his Thursday nights at the pub, he doesn’t go out much, hasn’t dated, and spends most of his time alone. 

He finishes his lunch and leaves to follow his new lead.

Later that night, Draco shakes off the day as he enters the pub. It’s a small place, wix owned in the heart of London, with dim lighting, a roaring fire, and booths lining the wall. Potter sees him enter and waves him over with a grin. He elbows Weasley, making Weasley and Longbottom shift over until there’s room for Draco next to Potter. Hermione and Luna have their heads together, talking and ignoring the men.

Draco sits, smooths his hair, and mumbles, “I’m surrounded by Gryffindors.”

Luna looks up at that, large eyes blinking. “Not all of us, Draco.”

“Point taken. It’s lovely to see you Luna. Good evening, everyone else,” he says to the table at large. Draco tries and fails to ignore the tingling on his side next to Potter.

Padma and Ginny show up a short time later, hand in hand and laughing at a shared joke. Over these nights of drinking, Draco has become closer to Ginny and then Padma after the two started dating. Draco smiles as they approach the table.

“Thank the stars,” Draco says. “I was starting to worry I would be the only sane one here tonight.”

“Hey,” Weasley protests.

Draco leans around Potter to raise an eyebrow at Weasley. “I see your vocabulary hasn’t improved.”

Potter starts laughing next to him and Weasley snorts. Draco’s mouth turns up and everything loosens in his chest with the realization that this group of people somehow are his friends or something like it. He swallows down emotions along with the last of his pint.

Ginny’s hand curls around Draco’s shoulder. “I need a drink too. Come to the bar with me.”

Padma takes Draco’s seat. “Get me one.”

“I’m about out too, Gin.” Weasley shakes his glass at his sister. She sticks her tongue out at her brother, but Draco knows she’ll bring him back a pint of the brown ale he prefers. 

Ginny leads the way to the bar and smiles at Draco after they place their orders. 

“I didn’t think you liked me but I think you might actually be friends with me.” Draco is still a bit astonished by the realization.

Ginny laughs. “I don’t dislike you.” She hip checks him and her grin widens.

Draco’s mouth thins. “Your endorsement is illuminating indeed.”

Ginny rolls her eyes at Draco. “It’s a good thing you’re pretty because when it comes to people, you’re a bit thick.”

“Pretty?” Draco runs a hand over his embroidered vest.

Ginny winks at him and grabs the drinks. Draco takes what glasses are left and they settle down to an evening of drinking. Draco doesn’t talk much, he never does, unless he has something especially witty to say. Eventually the evening winds down until it’s just Granger, Weasley, Potter and himself.

“Something’s bothering you.” Granger doesn’t word it like a question.

Draco figures that these three did figure out how to defeat Voldemort. They might be able to help him with his personal mystery. 

Draco clears his throat. “Someone has been doing nice things for me lately.”

“What kind of nice things?” Weasley asks.

Draco explains about the tea, the meat pie, and about his lunch being paid for. Ron looks intrigued, Potter is looking everywhere but at Draco, and Granger’s face is soft.

Weasley starts cackling. “You have a secret admirer.”

Granger elbows Weasley in the ribs. “Ow, ‘Moine.”

“Leave off, Ron.” She reaches across the table and places a hand on his arm. “Is it so hard to believe that someone would do something nice for you?”

Draco’s face heats and he drains the last bit of his pint. The words are too close to the truth and he’s embarrassed. Potter is watching the exchange, silent, and an unwanted desire for Potter to be jealous, of all things, rears its ugly head. Draco crushes the need he feels and stands. 

“It’s been lovely, as always. Granger, Weasley, Potter.” Draco inclines his head to each of them and leaves without glancing behind him.

Draco detests that Granger was able to cut to the meat of both his dilemma and his insecurities with one fell swoop. If anything, it exposes to him that they know him well enough to understand how he feels about things. They may be his friends after all, but Draco has forgotten the inconvenience of friends who are smart and see too much. 

Monday dawns cloudy. The moment Draco leaves his flat, the skies open up their maw and let forth a torrent of rain. With a curse, Malfoy Apparates to somewhere closer to the Ministry. He dries himself with a quick charm once he’s inside, but his hair, which was perfectly brushed before, is less tidy than he likes. With a sigh, Draco pulls it back into an untidy bun.

When the lift opens onto the Auror floor, Weasley spots him and comes running, which is never a good sign.

“Malfoy,” Weasley huffs. “An urgent message came in for you five minutes ago.” 

Draco takes the message Weasley hands him, his stomach already dropping with dread. The note is from Gatty. The witness, a young female werewolf, was attacked last night and is at St. Mungo’s. 

“Malfoy, is everything all right?”

“No, it bloody well isn’t. Fuck. If you see Potter, give him this and tell him I went to Mungo’s.” Draco shoves the paper into Weasley’s hand and is back out the door.

Draco takes the direct floo from the Ministry to Mungo’s and rushes to the fifth floor. He’s directed to the correct room by a solemn faced wizard behind a massive desk right off the lift. Draco walks as quickly as decorum allows and almost runs into the healer, a thin, tight-lipped woman.

“Excuse me, sir.” She looks at his robes. “Auror, do you know the deceased?”

“The deceased?” Infuriated that his only lead is gone and his day has gone from irritating to infuriating and he hasn’t even had more than one cup of tea yet, Draco kicks at the waste bin nearest to him.

“Auror…” the healer looks at him expectantly.

“Malfoy,” Draco supplies.

“Auror Malfoy, I’m sorry for your loss. Do you know who we can contact?”

The reality that this poor woman died alone with few to mourn her punches him the sternum. “Her name was Margorie. She went by Margot and she had no one.” Draco takes one of his personal cards from his vest pocket. “Please send all her bills and details to me. I’ll take care of her body once it’s released.”

“It seems like she had you.” The healer pats his arm. “Thank you, Auror Malfoy.” 

Draco puts his hands on his hips and feels eyes on his neck. He turns and Potter is there, watching him. Draco can feel a flush stain his cheeks and he wonders how much of the conversation Potter overheard.

Potter steps up close to Draco and peers into the room with the still figure on the bed, covered with a sheet. “Sorry, Malfoy. I know that was your only lead.”

Draco pinches the bridge of his nose, trying and failing to ignore how close to him Potter is standing. “As if this day could get any worse.”

It does though. A small pile of things heap upon the already miserable day.

Draco takes care of the arrangements for Margorie’s remains. She’s to be cremated and sent to Draco, who thinks he can spread them on the grounds at Malfoy Manor. It has some pretty parks that would be a nice resting place for a forgotten woman. When his business at Mungo’s is finished, Draco goes back to the Ministry and sits at his desk.

After staring blankly for an hour at the interview he conducted with Marjorie before she was killed, Draco gets up, stretches, and goes to make tea. He’s not paying attention as he carries it back to his desk and runs straight into Potter. The tea manages to miss Potter completely and spills all down the front of Draco’s shirt and vest. He hisses in pain as the hot liquid seeps through his clothes and scalds his skin.

“Merlin, I’m sorry. Malfoy are you all right?” Harry waves his wand and dries the tea and cleans Draco’s robes.

The skin on Draco’s chest feels stretched too thin and it throbs. “No, I'm not bloody well all right. I think the tea burned me.”

Potter’s dark skin flushes and he stammers. “I’m sorry, Malfoy. Let me help you.”

Draco brushes off Potter’s hand. “I don’t need to be coddled. I have some salve in my office.”

Potter's face falls and Draco wants to snatch his harsh words, but his day has been too terrible for him to spare anyone’s feelings but his own. The pettiness burns his throat and he swallows it down. He stalks back to his office, yanks at the buttons of his vest, and mutters as he unbuttons his shirt. The skin over the right side if his chest is an angry red.

With a curse, Draco yanks open a drawer a little too hard and it swings completely out in his hand, dumping the contents on the ground and landing solidly on his foot.

“Fuck.” 

Draco slams his fist on the desk and snatches his wand from its holster to cast a healing charm over his chest. The skin loses its angry red coloring and lightens to a bright pink. Draco leans over and swipes up the jar of salve and screws open the lid. The smell of lavender fills his nose and calms his racing heart. Draco gathers up his composure and puts it back on like armor. By the time he is rebuttoning his vest, his hands are steady and his heart slow.

A quick swish of his wrist and everything is back where it belongs. Draco sits at his desk and reads through his precise notes about the case. There must be something he has missed. 

Draco’s eyes are sore from reading when he finally leaves. Wrapping himself in his crimson cloak, he leaves the Ministry and makes his way home to his flat. On his threshold, the sound of wings reaches his ears and he turns to find a brown owl blinking at him, holding out its leg. Draco takes the letter and goes inside. 

The letter taunts him as he makes tea and he eyes it while he sips the cup dry. He does not recognize the handwriting that has scrawled his name and address on the outside. Relishing the pique of the day, he rinses out his cup and pours a whiskey before opening the letter. The words are nothing short of astonishing.

_Draco,_

_Today was a day of setbacks, but you will find a way forward. I hope that you know that there are those who care for you and see you, know that you have depths that eclipse all around you with their beauty._

_I apologize for the anonymity of this letter, but please know that you are admired and deeply cared for. You deserve to have nice things in your life and people who care about you. You believe yourself unwelcome in whatever circle you grace, but you could not be more wrong._

_You are brilliant at everything you do. Every time you bend yourself to a task, your attention to detail, both big and small, results in no puzzle remaining unsolved. There is nothing that you cannot accomplish once you have determined to do it._

_You think that because people do not approach you with joviality that they do not care for you, but your upright manner makes people think that they are tarnished brass next to you. You are a just person who has come a long way from the boy you were in school. We all made mistakes growing up, but you have grown into a man that people admire, even if they do it from afar._

_Your dedication to your work and the way you care for the people around you is apparent to any who take the time to look. You are given the worst cases, the ones no one wants because they are the ones no one else but you can solve. It is not a throwing away of impossible cases. Instead, it is the handing over of the case to the only person smart and determined enough to find the answer buried in the facts._

_I hope tomorrow is a better day._

Draco’s hand trembles as he reads, his mind going too many places to track.

He flips over the paper and examines it. There’s a watermark he recognizes because he uses this paper everyday. It is Ministry paper, from the Auror Office to be exact. The writer of this letter is surely the same person who has been gifting him things for the past two weeks, and now Draco finally has something to go on. 

His secret admirer is an Auror.

\---

The first thing Draco does is try to place a tracing spell on the parchment. The wards covering the paper pop in his hand, but reveal nothing. Whoever sent this is powerful, which of course considering they’re an Auror, Draco shouldn’t be surprised. It does make him more determined to find an answer. 

Draco makes a list of everyone in the department who could remotely be interested in him. Names that are added to the list are mostly there because of age. He’s dated men and women over the years so gender doesn’t shorten his list, unfortunately. In the end, the list is so long as to be unusable. By the end of the evening, he isn’t any closer to an answer, and he crawls into bed, irritable and frustrated.

It’s rather foolish, he admits to himself, that there is one person he wishes would be interested in him enough to make these kinds of gestures and overtures. One person whom he would welcome as a romantic partner, one person who fills Draco with need and want that is tangible. It’s been years since Draco has admitted that there is one weakness to which he has never found the cure. Draco’s desire that his admirer be a man with bright green eyes and a scar on his forehead will not make it so.

Draco falls asleep feeling more lonely than he has for a very long time.

In the morning, when he walks into his office, there’s a bag of chocolate Milky Buttons and a simple note written with a quick quill.

_I hope today is a better day._

Draco chuckles. He hasn’t had Milky Buttons since he was a child. He always had to sneak the Muggle candy with help from the house-elf that ended up being set free by Potter. Dobby was his name, if Draco remembers correctly. His father hadn’t shut up about that insult for months. Draco pops one of the candies in his mouth and sucks on it as it melts. He pens out a note to Gatty and sends it via a messenger to the house-elf before he forgets.

The day does turn out to be better. Draco finds an acquaintance of the werewolf who was killed and they lead him to an address that he cases from across the street. Draco pens a quick note to headquarters, requesting some backup if things go sideways. He hesitates, then requests Potter specifically. Draco does not examine his motivations too closely. Potter is the best at tight spots if there is trouble, he’s excellent at surveillance charms, and Draco does enjoy his company. More than he should, but that is exactly beyond the point at the moment. Right now, he needs Potter for work and nothing else.

Draco casts some seeking spells, looking for wards that might ping if they start putting up surveillance spells in the building across the street. Draco snorts in disbelief. There’s nothing protecting the building.

Three knocks, then a fourth sound on the door before Potter slips into the room just in time to hear the very uncivilized noise Draco made.

A smile plays across Potter’s face. “Am I that amusing already?”

Draco allows himself to smile at Potter. “The idiots across the way who think they’re involved in actual criminal activities haven’t bothered to put up a significant ward or charm to protect them except a muggle camera in the front of the building and a ward that will alert them when someone comes through the front door.”

Potter moves and stands beside Draco at the window. His Auror cloak brushes against Draco’s legs and, though it’s impossible, Draco feels warmth from the touch. He swallows.

“I was about to get started with the surveillance charms. I was hoping you’d get here in time to place some wards with trackers over the exits of the building while I want to affix the audio spells.”

Potter nods and pulls out his wand, all business. Something like regret at how easy Potter falls into business with him pinches his chest. Draco focuses on the building in front of him.

It takes them twenty minutes of silent, concentrated work, but the spells are in place and they have been watching the building long enough to see some people come and go from the front door, as if they have nothing to hide.

Draco pulls out the small bag of Milky Buttons and offers one to Potter. “Would you care for one?”

Potter’s hand shakes as he reaches for the offered bag and Draco notices, though Potter tries to cover it up with a surprised smile that’s a bit too wide, even for him. “I used to steal these from my cousin when we were young. He started counting them though when he suspected so I haven’t had one in ages.”

Draco eats his candy in silence, watching Potter.

“Where did you get these?” The other man asks, green eyes flicking to him, then back to the building across the street.

Draco pops another one into his mouth. “I found them on my desk this morning.” Draco continues to watch Potter for something, he’s not sure what.

Potter turns to him, his smile open and without artifice. “That was nice of someone then.”

Draco deflates a little. He’s not sure what he expected - for Potter to confess, maybe - but Draco is seized with irritation. If Potter admired him, if he felt flames every time Draco was near the same way that Draco did when Potter was anywhere close to him why wouldn’t he admit it? Draco tears his eyes from Potter, who is no longer looking at him, and Draco straightens his spine. 

He’s no better than Potter. He’s been keeping a secret and he’s been refusing to admit it as well. Someone out in the world cares enough about Draco to send him pies and candy, to pay for his lunch, and to write him letters that brighten his day. If one person could feel those things for him, perhaps Potter could as well. 

Draco takes a step that takes him directly into Potter’s personal space. “Thank you for coming when I asked for you.” His voice sounds breathless, even to his own ears.

Potter’s eyes are wide when they meet his. He licks his lips, his eyes darting down to Draco’s lips before darting back up. “I’ll always come when you ask me to.”

Draco marshalls his courage and closes the heated space between them. He slides his hand into Potter’s robe and along his hip. “I’d like to kiss you.”

“Merlin, yes.” Potter manages to say before Draco slowly presses their lips together.

Draco intends for the kiss to be soft, a question of what could come next, but Potter’s hand slides around his neck and threads through his hair. Potter gets a fistful of the long strands and pulls gently. The tug of it goes straight to Draco’s cock and he groans. The moment his mouth opens Potter plunges in, and from there nothing is gentle about the kiss. It’s filthy, open mouths and years of hidden fantasies that Draco has never let see the light of day. 

Draco’s hand moves from around Potter’s waist and cups his arse, grinding their bodies together. The movement drags a gasp from Potter as their hard, trouser covered cocks rub together with enough friction to be maddening.

“Draco.” On Potter’s lips, his name is torn from him, a plea and a confession. Draco’s heart shatters open.

Keeping the arm in place that’s holding them together, Draco uses his free hand to remove Potter’s glasses and cup the other man’s face. “Harry.”

Harry sags against him, a shy smile turning up the corners of his mouth. Harry closes the distance between them and places a light kiss on Draco’s mouth. “Draco.”

Draco presses their foreheads together. “We can’t do this here. The surveillance charms will do their work. We can come pick them up tomorrow.”

Harry’s grin is full of promise. “What should we do until then?”

Draco pulls back. “I have some ideas, some ways we could fill the time, if you will come home with me.”

He holds his breath until Harry nods and says, “I’d love to.”

Draco grabs Harry’s hand and Apparates them straight into his flat. He has a brief flare of fear he left something out or that his space would be untidy even though Draco knows everything is in the place it belongs. He tries to drop Harry’s hand to take a step and look around to make sure, but Harry squeezes his hand and pulls him closer.

Harry presses a soft kiss against Draco’s lips. “Stop worrying about something being out of place.” 

“How do you know what I was thinking?” Draco is piqued.

Harry chuckles and Draco is close enough to Harry that he can feel it rumble over his chest. The sound is so much better up close.

Harry shakes his head. “You’re always worried about something being out of place. It’s adorable when it’s not infuriating.”

Draco huffs but there’s a smile playing with his lips as he says, “If I was to be honest, your ability to create chaos in every space you inhabit is irritating in the extreme.”

Harry just laughs at him and pulls him toward the closed door off the main living space. “I assume this is your bedroom.”

Draco nods, mouth dry and his nervousness blooming a warmth over his face. By the time they are in the room itself, Draco is taking off his cloak and hanging it on the hook behind the door. He lets go of Harry’s hand to unclasp the other man’s cloak. Draco kisses Harry’s cheek as he swirls the fabric off his shoulders before hanging it up over his own. Draco turns around and stares at Harry.

Harry’s hair is a mess and a wicked grin is spreading over his face as he stalks up to Draco. When Harry is close to him, he reaches out and unbuttons the top button of Draco’s vest. The ghost of Harry’s fingers as they move down his chest already has Draco trembling. He’s not sure he'll survive by the time Harry gets his hands on his bare skin. 

Harry slides Draco's vest off and then walks away, folding the garment, before laying it on the lounge chair in the corner of Draco’s room. Harry starts in on the buttons of Draco’s shirt and Draco comes to life, putting his fingers under Harry’s suspenders and pushing them off Harry’s shoulders. Draco allows himself to run his palms over Harry’s shoulders, pressing his thumbs along Harry’s clavicles as he does so. Harry leans into the touch and Draco can’t help but close the space between them so he can rub his aching cock into Harry’s.

As if that is a catalyst, Harry yanks Draco’s shirt out of his trousers and Draco runs his hand into Harry’s hair and presses their mouths together. Harry moans against Draco’s mouth and Draco’s tongue plunges into Harry, using his other hand to keep their waists together. Harry manages to pull off Draco’s shirt, but this article of clothing is tossed onto the floor. Draco doesn’t care in the slightest because his exposed nipples are now rubbing against the slight sprinkling of hair on Harry’s chest. Draco doesn’t remember getting Harry’s shirt open but it is and Draco can’t get enough of Harry’s warm skin beneath his palms. 

Harry yanks his shirt the rest of the way off and they fall back onto the bed. Draco twists so that Harry goes down first and Draco covers him with his body. They’re the same height and everything lines up in the most exquisite and aggravating way because they still have too many layers of clothes between them. Harry’s hips arch up into Draco, and Draco’s body responds as if there is nothing it’s ever wanted more than this.

There has never been anything in his life like Harry Potter.

There’s truth in that. Draco has wanted Harry for so long, longer than he even had a good understanding of his own sexuality. Harry has always been a force of nature in his life, which is why he often reacted so very badly to Harry when they were young.

Harry slaps him on the ass. “You have your serious face on. I hope you’re not talking yourself out of this.”

There’s a vulnerability under the teasing tone so Draco ruts forward into Harry and kisses him sweetly, something opposite of the way he’s rubbing their cocks together. “I’d never regret this. I was thinking that I’ve wanted to do this with you for a very, very long time long time.”

Harry’s grin is bright enough to burn, but Draco relishes the heat. “Not that I want to have a whole conversation right this moment, but this isn’t a one time thing for me.”

Draco doesn’t answer Harry right away. He shifts so he can unbutton and unzip Harry’s trousers. Draco pulls Harry’s trousers and pants down at the same time, revealing Harry’s twitching cock, it’s end glistening with precome. Draco runs a hand over himself and his mouth waters at the sight. 

“Merlin, you’re gorgeous.” Draco puts his hands over Harry’s knees and slides up his legs with firm pressure. When his face is right over Harry’s cock, he takes the head in his mouth and enjoys the salty taste of Harry before he looks up and says, “I hope you know that after this, I’m never letting you go either. I have a lot of things I’d like to do with you and not all of them are dirty. I like quiet Saturday mornings with tea and books.”

Harry relaxes and nods. “Good.”

Draco unbuttons his trousers and divests himself of the rest of his clothes with deliberation because Harry’s eyes are glittering with greed and want as they follow his every move. Draco stalks back to the bed and crawls over Harry until he can cover him again, bracing himself on his arms. Draco kisses Harry, and Harry’s hands are everywhere, running over Draco, leaving a path of fire in their wake. Every time their cocks slide together, Draco stops breathing. By the time Draco breaks the kiss, they’re both shaking with need.

Draco shifts so he can wrap his fingers around Harry’s hard length. Draco rubs his thumb over the leaking hole and Harry’s hips give an involuntary jerk. “Eventually, I’d like to do more, but I’d really like to suck you off, if that’s ok.”

Harry’s pupils are wide and his voice scratches out of his throat. “Yes, please, Draco. I want your mouth on me.”

Draco moves down Harry’s body, leaving nipping kisses as he goes. “I love the way you say my name, Harry.”

“I was so fucking tired of calling you Malfoy when all I could think of was yelling your name while I came down your throat.” Harry pulls Draco’s hair.

“Salazar, Harry, your mouth.” Draco licks his lips and smiles at Harry as he slides his mouth slowly over Harry’s straining cock. 

Harry becomes impatient and thrusts up into Draco’s mouth, making Draco’s eyes water. The movement makes Draco harden even more until he is on the brink of… something. Draco wraps one hand around Harry’s hip bone and one hand around Harry’s cock and goes to work in earnest. He moves up and down, hollowing out his cheeks as he pulls up and applying pressure all the way up and down with his hand, slick with spit and precome. Draco pulls back until the head of Harry’s cock was almost out of his mouth before pressing back down Harry’s length.

Harry’s hands are tangled in Draco’s hair, pulling with Draco’s movements and the slight pain is a pleasure that spreads over Malfoy and adds to the tingling growing in his body. His own cock lays heavy against the crisp hair on Harry’s thighs and Malfoy can't help thrusting into Harry, seeking friction to match the way Harry is filling his mouth.

Harry’s hands tighten and Draco can feel Harry’s thighs and stomach trembling below him. Harry is close and begins chanting Draco’s name a moment before Harry thrusts up into Draco’s mouth once, twice, then is spilling his pleasure down Draco’s throat as Draco swallows around him. 

As soon as Harry is done, Draco straightens up on his knees and uses his wet hand on himself. Harry places his hand over Draco’s and it only takes a couple twists and Draco loses control. Draco moans Harry’s name as his orgasm rips through him and ropes of come paint Harry’s torso. Draco's chest is heaving like he just chased down a suspect and he sees that Harry has fared no better. Harry’s cheeks are deep reddish brown and he looks thoroughly debauched.

Draco levers himself down so that he’s laying on his side by Harry.

Harry lifts a hand and traces a finger along Draco’s hairline. “You’re amazing.”

“So are you.” Draco leans over Harry and kisses him slow. “I’ll get something to clean you up.”

Draco gets a washcloth from the small bathroom and wipes the worst of the mess he left on Harry, before waving his wand and getting the rest. He could have just spelled it all away, but he wanted to clean Harry himself. 

Harry’s smile is gentle as he cups Draco’s face. “I’ll go make us some tea.” Draco starts to get up off the bed, but Harry pushes him back down with a hand on his shoulder. “No, you stay. I’ll go.”

Draco watches Harry’s arse as he walks away from him. Harry doesn’t bother to put his pants back on and he throws a wink over his shoulder at Draco as he walks out of the room. 

“Prat,” Draco says.

He can hear Harry chuckling. Draco lays in bed and listens to the domestic noise of having Harry in his space, making tea like he belongs here, and Draco melts. It’s too early to tell Harry, but Draco is well on his way to being hopelessly in love, has been for some time.

Harry comes back with two tea cups and saucers with a pizzelle next to Draco’s saucer. He hands one cup to Draco and Draco takes a sip. It has the perfect amount of milk and just a touch of sugar, exactly how Draco likes it.

Draco takes another sip and eyes Harry, who is watching him a little intently. “How do you know how I take my tea?”

Harry blushes, that beautiful darkening of Harry’s skin that Draco is becoming addicted to. Harry is still naked so he can see how the blush travels down Harry’s cheeks and neck and across the top of his chest. “I pay attention to you.”

Draco puts his saucer and cup on the table next to the bed. “How much attention do you pay to me?”

Harry clears his throat. “I, uh, know you like meat pies when you work late and I know you have a penchant for Rueben’s on Thursdays.” Harry’s eyes sweep down at the end.

Draco is having trouble swallowing past the lump in his throat. He takes Harry’s cup and places it next to his own. Draco cups Harry’s face. “You are even more lovely than I could have imagined.” Draco kisses Harry and Harry leans into the kiss. “You could have told me all those things were from you.”

Harry takes a deep breath. “I was afraid you wouldn’t want them from me, but I still wanted you to know someone cared.” His green eyes become intent. “You deserve nice things, Draco.”

Draco kisses Harry again. “I’m glad you did them. I was hoping it was you the entire time.”

Harry kisses him this time, and soon enough Harry is straddling Draco and their tea is cold by the time they leave the bed again. 

\---

The next morning they go back to collect the surveillance recordings. Harry stays in Draco’s office as they listen to the recordings and read the print outs. At the end of the day, they have enough evidence and some names. Draco keeps stealing glances at Harry, and every time Harry is looking at him. They end up sitting next to each other, heads bent together, working and reaching out every few minutes to touch each other. Draco knows he should be concentrating on the work, but Harry’s hand is on his thigh and all Draco can think about is how Harry’s mouth was in that exact same spot hours ago. 

When Draco is putting the last of their notes together to send to Robards so a team can be assembled, Granger shows up in the doorway of his office. 

“I got your message, Harry.” She looks between the two of them and her smile widens. “I’m glad to see that you two have talked through some things.”

“Wasn’t much talking,” Harry mutters.

Draco glares at Harry and pulls down on the edges of his vest. “Yes, well, Harry and I realized we have some mutual feelings for each other and also we solved the case.”

Harry snorts. “Mutual feelings? Draco, how can you make everything seem so boring?”

Granger laughs. “You two are just as adorable as I knew you would be.”

“Disgusting you mean,” Weasley says over her shoulder.

Draco glares at all of them. “As I was saying. We solved the case. A group of wix opposed to your legislation have been kidnapping werewolves, some to sell out of the country and some they drug then let loose in populated areas to cause damage.”

Harry picks up the narrative and Draco can’t help but follow the movement of Harry’s lips. He doesn’t even have to hide what he’s doing and that knowledge alone is thrilling. “They’re moving the ones they have tonight at midnight. If we take a team at 11, we should be able to capture all of them.”

Granger’s eyes are glittering. “This will also give us some sympathy and evidence for me to push through the legislation. Excellent work.”

Draco looks at Harry. “I had a very good partner.”

Harry closes the space between them and places a short kiss on Draco’s cheek. Draco is really going to have to talk to Harry about kissing him at work, but not today.

**Author's Note:**

> This work is part of H/D Cluefest and the creator is currently undercover. You can follow the fest at our [Tumblr](https://hd-cluefest.tumblr.com/). Creators will be unmasked on the 15th April.


End file.
